Chevrolet, now a division of GM and headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, was founded in 1911 by William C. Durant and Louis Chevrolet, a Swiss-born race car driver. The largest of the GM brands, Chevrolet now offers more than 20 vehicles ranging from sub-compact cars to medium-range commercial trucks.

Since the introduction of its 1912 five-passenger touring sedan capable of topping 65 mph, Chevrolet has become an influential American brand that has found its ways into popular cultural reference. Famous "Chevys" included the Camaro, Corvette (which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2002), Caprice, Chevelle and the luxurious 1958 Impala.

By the 1970s Chevrolet, like other auto manufacturers, turned to smaller cars including the Vega and the Chevette and downsized existing models like the Caprice and Malibu in response to the times. Fighting the domination of foreign automakers, Chevrolet introduced the Cavalier in the 1980s and fine-tuned its still highly popular line of mid-and full-size truck and SUV models including the Suburban.

Continuing in its long-held tradition of designing cars for the future, Chevrolet is now working to develop vehicles with integrated hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems including the Sequel and the Equinox, some of which may be available by the fall of 2007.